LAST UPDATE | 17 Jun 2021

HSE CEO PAUL Reid has said the the 35-39 age group may take longer to move through, as the health service gets ready to open up registration to this cohort.

The registration portal will be open for those aged 35-39 from this Sunday, with this aged 39 being asked to register on the first day, followed by those aged 38 on Monday and so on.

Speaking at today’s HSE briefing, Reid said:

“Just to flag up front, this will be a slower age group to move through based on volume, but particularly based on the high level of dose twos we’ll have to do and also the fact that we do move to two supply lines in July, which is Moderna and Pfizer.”

Over 2.3 million people have now received a first dose or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Close to 1.2 million have received their second dose, or the single-dose vaccine, and are fully vaccinated. 

Reid said this means 61% of the adult population have received one dose and close to one third are fully vaccinated. 

Vaccine take-up has been strong, he said:

• Almost 100% of those over 80;
• 97% of those aged 70-79;
• 92% of those aged 60-69;
• 87% for those aged 50-59.

📢📢🚨 Delighted to announce for some of you under 40s - the registration for a COVID-19 vaccine will open to those aged 35-39 on Sunday.

Starting with those age 39, 38 on Monday and so on.#ForUsAll pic.twitter.com/yn9ha8kwB7

— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) June 17, 2021

To register for a vaccination through the online portal, you need:

• a mobile phone number;
• an email address;
• your PPS number – here’s how to find your PPS number;
• your Eircode – you can find your Eircode here or you can enter your address in the registration system.

People in this age cohort can register online through the HSE website or by phone by calling 1800 851 500. For anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing, there is a HSE text line they can contact at 086 1800 661.

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The move to vaccinate people in their 30s comes as the vaccination delivery programme reaches a new high, with the Taoiseach saying that about 340,000 doses can now be delivered in a week. 

The push is part of the government’s aim to have 70% of adults in the country fully vaccinated by the end of July. 

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said that he was “very optimistic” about the return to on-campus lectures for students in part due to the vaccine roll-out. 

“We have some way to go in terms of getting from here to September, in terms of weeks of vaccinations left, and we’re doing probably over 300,000 vaccines a week now so we’re very optimistic. Students will also benefit not just from individual vaccination but from the overall societal benefits of having so many people vaccinated by that stage,” he said.

- With reporting by Michelle Hennessy.